Churchill Brothers’ relegation compensated by the AIFF

09/20/2018

AIFF has compensated the relegation handed over to the Churchill brothers after they had finished with only seventeen points in the previous season, allowing them to be a part of the next season of I-League. Since Indian Arrows are just in the developmental stage, they couldn't be relegated.

Churchill Brothers had been relegated from the top division of Indian football, I-League after they could only finish ninth in the table with just seventeen points from eighteen matches. They were above Indian Arrows on the table but since Arrows has been a developmental project of All India Football Federation (AIFF), they are immune from relegation.

Churchill Brothers had one last chance to normally qualify for the next season and avoid relegation, provided that they had won their match against Minerva Punjab and earn three points. But, they lost 1-0 to the eventual champions which led to the relegation of the team.

The team kicked off their season on a low note losing all of their first five matches. They managed to earn one point after a draw against East Bengal, which happened to be their first point of the year. This was the point when the team management felt the requirement to have a better mentor and promoted Alfred Fernandes as the head coach of the team. International players like Koffi Mechac and Kalu Ogba were also included in the team to turn around their fortunes.

The following changes worked out for the team as they started winning games and succeeded to earn 15 points out of six matches. However, just as when the team had started to think their luck had changed for the good, they faced a major blow when Indian Arrows defeated them 2-1 at a home game. Ever since that loss, the team lost it's confidence and struggled to pick only one point out of the next five games. Koffi and Kalu's injuries further added to their suffering with the team starting to fall.

Churchill brothers were put in a do or die situation wherein they needed three points from their last two games to go ahead of Chennai City in the points table or at least two to be at par with the same team. But defeat against Mohun Bagan and subsequently to Minerva on the final matchday confirmed their demotion to the second division.

But, AIFF has now decided to give them one chance to prove their worth. They have been allowed to be a part of the I-League in the next season after their relegation is compensated by the Federation.

"We have been informed by the AIFF that we will be part of the I-League this season," club CEO Valanka Alemao said.